For example, since a liquid crystal panel used in a liquid crystal display device such as a liquid crystal television is not self-luminous, such a liquid crystal panel separately requires a backlight unit as an illumination device. Such a backlight unit is intended to be installed on a rear side (a side opposite to a display screen) of a liquid crystal panel and, for example, includes: a metallic chassis having an opened face on the liquid crystal panel-side; a large number of linear light sources (for example, cold cathode tubes) housed in the chassis; and an inverter board that is arranged on a rear-surface side (a side opposite to the liquid crystal panel) of the chassis and that supplies driving power to the linear light sources.
A connector is arranged on the inverter board. An electrically-connected state between the inverter board and a linear light source is formed by connecting a harness extending from the connector to an electrode line protruding from an end part of the linear light source. In this case, for example, when a vertical pressing force is applied to a board surface of the inverter board during a mounting operation of a connector, a localized distortion of the inverter board occurs and, in some cases, may result in a breakage of the inverter board. In order to suppress such distortion of an inverter board, means involving interposing a spacer between the inverter board and a chassis is known (see Patent Document 1).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-268573
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
Meanwhile, in recent years, demands for thinner liquid crystal display devices have increased. In order to achieve such thinning, the distance between the chassis and the inverter board is desirably minimized. However, minimizing the distance between the chassis and the inverter board in this manner makes it difficult to interpose the spacer according to Patent Document 1 described above between the chassis and the inverter board. In addition, since the distance between the chassis and the inverter board is reduced, there is a risk that the inverter board may come into contact with the chassis even when a slight distortion of the inverter board occurs. As such, distortion of the inverter board must be suppressed more reliably in order to realize a thinner liquid crystal display device.